Lubricator



P. W. GATES May 1, 1928.

LUBRICATOR Filed Feb. 9. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

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M M M LUBRICATOR Filed Feb. 9. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizz/em Fzizzs hfazfea Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED. STATES 1,667,849 PATENT OFFICE.

.PHILETUS w. Garrison CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssreNoR To HANNA ENGINEERINGwoaxs, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or iLLrNors.

LUBBICATOR.

Application filed February 9, 1927. Serial No. 166,826.

This invention relates to improvements in lubricators and is acontinuation in part of my prior applications, Serial Nos. 539,337,filed February 27, 1922, issued as Letters Patent 1,620,253, March 8,1927, and 664:,- 408, filed September 2 1, 1923, which is beingabandoned in view of the transfer of its disclosure and claims to thisapplication.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a lubricator which maybe at tached to a fluid pressure line or the like, with either constantor cyclic pressure, which pressure will operate to expel lubricant atthe desired rate into the line to lubricate the mechanism actuated bythe fluid pressure or other contacting surfaces; to provide such alubricator in which the pressure in the lubricator from the line or thelike will be readily relieved upon cessation of actuation; to providesuch a lubricator in which expulsion of the oil therefrom is preventedexcept under pressure and in which means is provided to prevent theestablishment of a siphon after the cessation of supply of actuatingfluid under pressure. These and other objects will be more fullydescribed and set forth in the following specification and illustratedin the accompaying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectionthrough one embodiment of my lubricator, the intermittent or cyclicpressure line being illustrated in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through another embodiment oi my inventionil'lustrating the same as a multiduct device";

capable of use with either fluctuating or constant pressure line,portions of the device being shown in elevation. Like numerals refer tolike elements throughout the drawings in which 10 illustrates in dottedlines a fluid pressure line including a threaded T 11 in the stem ofwhich is threaded the lubricator generally indicated by numeral 12.

The lubricator is constructed of cylindrical or other form, and isprovided with a lubricant reservoir or chamber 13, having a shoulder 13and provided with sight openings 14. A partition 15 is located at thebottom of the lubricant reservoir and beneath the partition is provideda chamber 16, the lubricator being formed with a threaded neck 17,centrally apertured to form a; continuation of chamber 16. This neck isthreaded into the T 11 in the arrangement shown, although it is obviousthat it may be attached to any pressure line or the like as desired. 7

Seated on the shoulder13 is a packing washer 18 on which in turn issuperimposed the glasscylinder 19. A second packing washer is carried atthe top of the cylinder 19.. Partition 15 is provided with the threadedaperture in whichis screwed the plug 21, in turn apertured and threadedfor engagement by the threaded extremity 22, of the vertical tube 22.The aperture of the plug 21 is narrowed or reduced at its lower end toform the shoulder 21, upon which seats a collar 23, apertured andprovided with inwardly projecting restraining fingers 23". Locatedbeneath the collar 23 is the ball 25, capable of limited. movement andrestrained in-its vertical movement by the fingers 23 of collar 23. Aninlet port 22", of reduced diameter, is provided in the lower end ofplug 21, which is further provided with a seat 22 for the ball 25, thisconstruction providing a ball check which Will permit flow of pressurefluid into the tube but prevent its return. In its'upper portion thetube22 is provided with ports 22 [leading to the interior of the reservoiror chamber 13. A cap 26 rests upon the washer 20, and is suitablyapertured at 26 for protrusion of the upper portion of the tube 22 andto provide clearance thereabout, the tube 22 being threaded at 22 andengaged bythe nut 28, a packingring 29 being located between the nut 28and cap 26. y

'It will be apparent that when nut 28 is screwed down, the cap 26 willbring the glass cylinder 19 into close contact with the packingwvashers18 and 20, and will further serve to compress the packing ring 29against the cap 26, thus making an airtight construction. "Filleropening. 26 is provided in the cap 26 and is normally closed by thethreaded plug 30. I 1

A second threaded aperture 15 is pro vided in the partition 15 and inthis aper- 1 ture is threaded the rod 35, which is provided with alongitudinally arranged duct 35 opening at itslower end into the lowerportion of the'lubricant chamber 13 and at its upper end into a recess35 in the rod. A second parallel duct 35 is provided in the rod 35 andleads from the recess 35 downwardly to communication with the chamber16. These two ducts 35 and 35.

in conjunction with recess 35", form a looped duct in effect. Recess 35"is closed by the threaded plug 36, which is provided with a small bleedduct 37, furnishing restricted connnunication between recess 35" and theupper portion of the lul'n'icant cha1nher 13. Extending into the lowerportion of the ductis the adjusting valve 38 having a conical tipcoactingg' with the valve seat 38 to permit adjustment of the flow oflubricant from duct 35 into chamber 16. This valve 38 may be adjusted asstated and locked in adjusted position by means of the loel; nut 39.

In the use of my improved lubricator while the same is attached to afluid prcssure line in the manner indicated, as the pressure in the linereaches maximum in its cycle this pressure will obtain in the upperportion of the lubricant chamber 15 above the surface of the lubricant.As the pressure drops in the line the ball 25 will be seated and preventtlow oi the lluid back into the line through tube 2; The pressure of theentrapped lluid. being greater than that obtaining in the line. willtorcc the lubricant up through duct 35 into recess 35". downwardlythrough duct C35 and into the chamber 1(3, from whence it will flow intothe line and be picked up by the pressure fluid and carried to themechanism which is being actuated. As the pressure in the line againapproaches maximum it exceeds that of the fluid entrapped in thereservoir and ball check will open and permit rise ol pressure in thechamber to maximum. lt will thus be apparent that. there is anintern'n'ttent supply or discharge of lubricant when the pressure in theline is less than that obtaining in the reservoir, and by properlyadjusting; valve 38 the desired amount of lubricant may thus bedischarged into the pressure line and conveyed with the fluid underpressure to the contacting surfaces of the functioning mechanism toensure lubrication.

lVhere the luln-icator inserted in the line between the shut-olf cockand the actuating mechanism. as it should be, it will be apparent thatshutting oil the fluid pres sure would bring the pressure in the line atthe lubricator to atnmsphcric pressure, and the entrapped pressure inthe lul'n'icator would continue to Force oil. into the line. resultingin drainingoi the luln'icator and an accumulation ol. an undesirableamount of lubricant in comminuted condition in the line. The provisionof the bleed duct 37 prevents this as when the pressure is cut oil inthe manner described. this blood passagre will permit the entrappedtiuid to break the oil flow through the rod and such entrapped fluidwill discharge into the line and exhaust. This not only relieves thepressure in the lulnicator. but prevents the establishment of a siphonor partial siphon which might drain out the oil from the luhricator intothe line even with balanced pressure in the lubricator and the line.This bleed passage is of such size that it. will not appreciably allcctthe functioning of the lubricatoiduring use of the pressure line. infact, it believed so tar as it. can be observed, that it assists in theconiminut'ion or bread-ling up of the oil discharged into the line,which is desirable for good he hrication. ll the lubricator be insertedin the line between the source of pressure and the shut'oli cock. itwill be apparent that when the supply to the actuating mechanism is cutoli' by closing such cock. the pressure would balance between the lineand chamber which would preclude discharge at the lubricant underpressure. but would not prevent the formation of a siphon. and again thebleed passage 87 will serve to breali up or prevent the formation of anysuch siphon.

In Fig. 2 l have illustrated another cm bodimcnt of my invention of anmlti duct type. '.his comprises a rcscrvoir llJ havinp the cover 126securely screwed or otherwise made last to the reservoir. a gasket .120being interposed to prevent leakage of air. A. lillcr opening 12b isprovided with the closure plug lilll. One or more windows 114 areprovided in the rcscrioir to permit observation of th oil content. thesebeing closed by glass or the like. suitably scaled to prevent leakage.

The bottom of the reservoir .12 provided with a thrcadcd apcrlurcd boss112 in which is threaded the tap red Plltlf lQl. it being centrallyapcriured and threadcd to receive the threaded end of tube 192. Plug: 12is provided with a small tfllillllln-l 121 in which may be mounted aball chcch the same being adapted in its normal position to close theinlet port 121'. Above thc ball choc-l: 125 is the apcrlurcd dish 1225held in position by the tube 122 in such Wise as to permit limitedmm'enn-ntv oi the hall chech liu. Secured to the plug 121. whichprovided with the rcdnccd stem 1:2! for that purpowe. is the lube 9U.which in turn is threaded into the stub end 91 of the prcsr'eurc line.(lthcr bossts .150 are provided at. the under side of the reservoir1132. suitably aperturcd and internally threaded to be engaged by thcupwardly extending rods T135. which are provided with the vertical duct135 in counuunication at their lower ends with the interior of thereservoir. At the upper end o l' cach rod 135 is a chan'ihcr 135 closedby the plug 136. which in turn is lllflvltlttl with the bleed passage[237. Leading dowmmrdly from the chrunbta' 1 5 is the duct: 13:7parallel to duct 135". This latter duct leads to the interior of boss1:70. Threaded upon each boss i130 is the Fasill All

tening collar 152 which en ages and supports the needle 153 upon W ichin turn is threaded coupling 154, each of these coir plings beingprovided with a sight window' 154 and a regulating needle valve 154: inwell known manner. To these couplings 15 1. may be attached thelubricating ducts 155 leading to any desired location requiringlubrication. One of these may be extended and connected to the pressureline itself as in the case of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, it' thepressure is intermittent or cyclic.

When the form illustrated in Fig. 2 is utilized with a cyclic pressureline the function is substantially similar to that described inconnection with the form of Fig. 1, the entrapped fluid pressure beingutilized to expel the lubricant through all of the ducts, the flowtherethrough being controlled by needle valves 154?. When the linepressure is cut ofli the entrapped fluid will discharge through thebleed passage 137 and the formation of siphons prevented, the pressurebeing relieved in a relatively short period of time.

The form illustrated in Fig. 2 may be utilized with a continuouspressure line if so desired, in which event the ball check 125 may beomitted or not as desired, since it is not required in such operation;

In Fig. I have illustrated the :iressuro supply as connected to the stubend 91 ot a constant pressure system, and it will be apparent that whenthe supply of actuating fluid is shut oil, pressure may obtain in thisstub 01 and. likewise in the lubricator 112, in which event the bleedpassages 137 will per i'nit reliet of such pressure in the mannerpreviously described, and substantially prevent discharge of oil fromthe lubricator.

It will be apparent that my invention is susceptible of modification,and I do not wish to be restricted to the form shown and described, saveas defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1.. In combination with, an actuating fluid line, lubricator comprisinga lubricantreservoir, a lubricant duct leading from said reservoir tosaid line, a second duct in communication with said reservoir andsaidline, means coacting with said second duct to permit the flow ot'actuating fluid to said reservoir under pressure from said line and toprevent return of such fluid. said lubricant duct beng constructed witha portion thereof located above the lubricant level of said reservoir,and a bleed duct extending between said. portion and the upper portionoi said lubricant reservoir.

2. In a device of the class described, a

body portion having a lubricant reservoir and a passage for actuatingfluid, a partition separating said reservoir and said passage, a ductleading from said passage to said reservoir, means associated therewithto permit the flow of the actuating fluid under pressure into saidreservoir and to prevent its escape therefrom, a rod extending into saidreservoir from. said partition and provided with a looped duct leadingfrom below the lubricant level of said reservoir into said passage, saidrod being provided with a bleed duct leading from theupper portion ofsaid looped duct to the upper portion of said reservoir.

3. In a device of the class described, a body portion having a lubricantreservoir and an inlet passage for actuating fluid, a check valve topermit entrance of said actuating fluid and prevent its return throughsaid passage, a duet leading from said reservoir to a pressure line orthe like, said duct being provided with a portionintermediate itsextremities located above the lubricant level and a bleedduct.communicating with said intermediate portion and the upper portionof said reservoir.

4. In a device of the class described, a body portion having a lubricantreservoir, a passage for actuating fluid, means coacting withsaidpassage to permit entrance of said actuating fluid and to )revent itsreturn, a rod extending into said lubricant chamber and having a loopedduct therein, said rod being provided with a recess adjacent its upperportion and comprising a part of said duct, and a bleed duct extendingbetween said recess and the upper portion of said lubricant chamber.

5. In a device of: the class described, a body portion having lubricantreservoir and an inlet passage for actuating fluid, a

duct leading from said reservoir to, convey lubricant to a desiredlocation, sald duct being provided with a portion intermediate itsextremities located above the lubricant levelv and a bleedductcommunicating with said intermediate portion andthe upper portion oisaid reservoir. I

6. A lubricator comprising a reservoir and. having an inlet passage foractuating fluid, a plurality of ducts leading from said reservoir topoints to which lubricant is to be supplied, each of said ducts beingprovided with a portion intermediate its extremities located above thelubricant level and a bleed duct connnunicating with said intermediateportion and the upper portion of said reservoir.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

PHILETUS WV. GATES.-

